Hawthorne Village(r) features a collection of subscription trains that run on HO track (so sometimes they're mistakenly labeled "HO" trains). However the trains are large enough to look good with O-scale accessories, such as most Christmas village buildings. The Hawthorne Village trains use reliable mechanisms and other parts from Bachmann On30 trains, so they run like "champs," and service will always be available. But the Hawthorne Village designers add artwork and other detailing that make these trains much more attractive and collectible.

Update, 2016 - Bradford Exchange, who distributes the Hawthorne Village products shown on this page has recently been forced by the attorney generals of several states (including Ohio where I live) to stop letting folks in Ohio and other states recommend products we like. If we keep it up, Bradford Exchange will have to start collecting sales tax for any customers in those states who order from them. So they have sent out an e-mail asking me (and hundreds of other people) to cease and desist recommending products we like.

It will take us a while to get things on these pages reconfigured to reflect the new requirements, but in the meantime, please consider the rest of this page an archive of past recommendations, for informational purposes only. We would never dream of continuing to recommend Hawthorne Village products that we liked in 2014 and still think highly of!

Note About Subscription Trains Because these are subscription trains, each piece is actually considered a separate purchase. (The price advertised on the Hawthorne Village web site is the cost of each collectible piece.) In the first shipment, you receive the locomotive, which is an exceptional value. Then about a month later, or when the next piece is available (whichever comes first), your order for the next piece is automatically processed. That means that you can still get the locomotive before Christmas if you order early enough, so you'll have something to wrap up and put under the tree. The locomotive is also a great value, so the recipient won't be disappointed, even when he or she learns that the rest of the train is still to come. On the other hand, there is a good possibility that some of these trains will sell out between now and Christmas. If there's one you really want, don't assume that it's "safe" to wait until later - I have not heard from one reader who was disappointed with his or her train, but I have heard from many readers who were disappointed because they put off ordering a subscription until it was too late. These are delightful trains and a great value, so order your favorite soon if you don't want to miss out! For details about how a subscription train works, please click here.

Note about Suppliers: While we try to help you get the products you want by recommending suppliers with a good record of customer service, all transactions between you and the supplier you chose to provide your trains or other purchases are governed by the published policies on the supplier's web site. So please print off any order confirmation screens and save copies of invoices, etc., so you can contact the appropriate supplier should any problems occur. (They almost never do, but you want to be on the safe side.)

Update for 2014! Due to the economic slowdown, Hawthorne Village did not order as many new trains and towns developed as they usually do. Now that at least some customers are feeling confident about things again, they're starting to order trains and towns in relatively high numbers. As a result, over dozen of our most popular Hawthorne Village trains and towns ran out between 2012 and 2013. One popular set that was on this page sold out between November first and November 23 of 2013. In fact, I hold my breath every time I visit these pages, since I've seen so many popular products disappear. And in the last several years, very few have been replaced.

So I can't say with certainty how long any train on this page will be available. I can say with certainty that the vast majority of folks who order these collections are delighted with them, and 100% of the people who waited too long to order are disappointed.

To see more pictures, to learn more about any of the trains, or to purchase any of these subscriptions, please click on the photographs or the "Buy Buttons," where they appear.

Thomas Kinkade Christmas Train and Villages - If you want the most charming train ever made for Christmas villages,consider Hawthorne Village's Thomas Kinkade(r) Christmas Express Subscription Plan Train. This is the first authorized collectible train to feature paintings by reknowned artist Thomas Kinkade. It has been so popular that two more Thomas Kinkade(r) trains are being offered this season. Hawthorne Village ordered many of these original, limited edition trains, so we have been able to offer them two holiday seasons in a row, but we have no idea how much longer subscriptions will be available. The first "issue" of this subscription includes the locomotive and tender, an excellent value.

Super Starter Set Still Available This was unavailable for bit but it's back. For a limited time only, you can get the first three issues of this set - enough to run a train - all at once in a
Super Starter Set
offering. If you order now, you could have the first four pieces, a complete train set, by Christmas. Click here
for more information.

Please click on either photograph for more pictures and details, as well as a list of accessories that would add interest and charm to any Christmas village using this train.

Note:New Thomas Kinkade trains and villages are constantly being added to the collection! Please click on either photograph for details.

Coca Cola(r) Christmas Train and Village - Coke(r) collectors rejoice! Hawthorne Village's(r) first Coca Cola Collectible train outsold all expectations and has been unavailable for over two years. I have spent a great deal of time telling folks that bad news, so believe me, I'm glad to have good news for a change. The Hawthorne Village(r) Coca Cola Collectible Christmas Train Subscription is back in a new limited edition series, with vintage Coca Cola Santa graphics and many charming, vintage details. The first "issue" of this subscription includes the locomotive and tender, an excellent value. This will grace any mantle or Christmas Village, but it will be especially "at home" in the limited edition Coca Cola Christmas Village collection which is shown on the same page.

Please click on either photograph for more pictures and details, as well as a list of accessories that would add interest and charm to any Christmas village using this train.

Al Agnew's Silver Moon Express - If you want to celebrate the Winter Solstice in a truly "wild" fashion, you might want to take a look at the Hawthorne Village
Silver Moon Express Subscription Plan Train.
This subscription train has wintry blue and silver colors, as well as paintings by Al Agnew that feature wolves and snowy landscapes. (For a closeup of the locomotive click here.)

This train became unavailable in 2012, but is back, possibly in limited quantities. (Actually all of these trains are limited editions, but some are more limited than others.) If you're interested in Al Agnew's work, or if you decorate with a silver and blue theme at the holidays, this is a unique opportunity. Please click on either photograph for more pictures and details.Rudolph's Christmas Town Express Train Collection
The exclusive Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer(R) Collectible ON30 Scale Electric Train Set Makes Unique Christmas Decoration - Last year, Rudolph's(r) Christmas Town Collectible Village delighted thousands. Now collectors and Rudolf-lovers will be thrilled by this first-ever Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer collectible! Let Rudolph guide this ON30 scale electric train set to your house for Christmas.

This set really is a one-of-a-kind. When it became unavailable for several months in 2012, there were some disappointed would-be customers. But it's worth remembering that one day it will become unavailable permanently.
It includes a FREE power-pack and nickel silver E-Z Track(R) elevated track set, a $60 value.

Please click on either photograph for more pictures and details.

The matching Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer Christmas Village Collection - is available as a
Super Starter Set, so you can get enough pieces to set up a whole village all at once. Your collection continues to grow afterwards, but this helps you give your village a huge "jump start."

The
Magic Of Disney Express Electric Train Collection celebrates all of your favorite Disney® characters, including Mickey Mouse (as the Sorceror's Apprentice), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and many more. Each issue in this collection has exquisite detail and charming features that will attract attention and interest for years to come. The locomotive headlight and the coaches are lighted as well, making this train a real "attention-grabber" when it runs around an illuminated holiday village such as the ones shown on this page.

Please click on either photograph for more pictures and details.

Note: If you buy a collectable train with the idea of running it around your Christmas tree, you might want to take special precautions so that someone who missteps near the tree doesn't accidentally kick an irreplaceable locomotive across the room. (Don't ask me if this warning is based on personal experience.) One possible solution might be to start a subscription of the Hawthorne Village train you like the most, and at the same time buy a Bachmann On30 train set that you can afford to leave on the floor or let the kids run. (And when the kids go to bed, and everyone else leaves the house, you can get out your Hawthorne Village train and run it--they run on the same track.)

Hawthorne Village Christmas Train Station Accessory Subscription Plan Finally, a Christmas Train Station set to go with the Hawthorne Village Christmas trains. This is a subscription set, like the Hawthorne Village towns. But instead of a whole town, this set models the "hustle and bustle" of a small-town railroad station at Christmas. We admit, we don't know everything about this set, as it's still very new, but we do know that the first installment is a charming early-to-mid-1900s station covered with "snow" and decorated for Christmas. According to the Hawthorne Village people: "Beginning with a fabulous model train station, every detail is handcrafted by master artisans, from authentic looking stone work and rough hewn flooring, to festive Christmas decorations and realistic train sound effects! You'll be delighted with all the special features in future issues too, from a switching station with a Santa who pops out as your train passes by, to an illuminated station platform with a FREE "Commuter Friends" figurine! These are must-have accessories to any prized train collection. And you won't find a finer value anywhere. Hurry, order now!

To order, or for more information, please click on the photograph at the right.

Track - By the way, I've been getting questions about track. The trains above come with an oval of track that is about 38" x 56". In most cases, you receive a circle of track with the second issue, the power supply with the third, and the straight track with the fourth. If you can't wait to run your locomotive as soon as it arrives, these trains actually will run on just about any HO track. If you have a lot of that in the attic, you might consider using that instead of the track that comes with the train. If you DON'T have a pile of HO track somewhere, we have listed some track accessory kits farther down that you can order. Or if you live near a hobby shop, you may easily add additional pieces of Bachmann EZ Nickel Silver Track at any time. The Bachmann EZ Track #44501
is an exact replacement for the curves that come with the train sets.
#44511 matches the straight pieces.

In addition, Hawthorne Trains is offering extension track packages that are listed below.

Hawthorne Village Train Accessories - As different as they may look, all of the Hawthorne Village trains on this page are mechanically interchangeable. They are On30 trains, built on frames made by the Bachmann Corporation, the world's largest model train manufacturer. The track they all use is the same EZ-Track that Bachmann sells for HO trains, so if you order more than one Hawthorne Village train, you can use the track from each set interchangeably. You can also always get extra Bachmann EZ-Track pieces as well as Bachmann parts and service on your Hawthorne Village trains. A few extra track pieces and other Hawthorne Village accessories you may find useful are provided below for your convenience.

Electric Train Crossing Gate and Block Signal Accessory Set Adds Realism to your Collectible Electric Train Set! Exclusive! - This miniature-scale crossing gate and block signals will add interest and charm to any Hawthorne Village train. Meticulously handcrafted by master artisans, each detail is flawlessly re-created, from the red-and-white striped train crossing gate arms to the white crossing signs. The crossing gate's arms even lower automatically when the train passes over the track! This is also an excellent value. Click on the link below to purchase or for more information.

The Winter Electric Train Crossing Gate and Block Signal Accessory Set! - Like the summer version above, miniature-scale crossing gate and block signals will add interest and charm to any Hawthorne Village train. The crossing gate's arms lower automatically when the train passes over the track! Click on the link below to purchase or for more information.

Electric Train Track Accessory Keeps Your On30 or HO Scale Train Set on Track - One of the true joys and excitement of owning an electric train set is in enhancing - and growing - your display by adding quality accessories. Hawthorne Village's exclusive HO scale "Track Multi-Pack" Train Accessory Set affords you almost 8 feet of additional track, including four 9" Straight Track and six 9" Radius Curved Track. Perfect for any Hawthorne Village train sets. All you need to do is snap them together. Click on the link below to purchase or for more information.

Expand your Empire! - If you have already added the Track Multi-Pack Train Accessory Set to your railroad, this set will allow you to add a figure eight shape to your railroad. This set includes a 90-degree Crossing, four 2-1/4" Straight Track and one 18" Radius Curved Rerailer. Click on the link below to purchase or for more information.

Just for Christmas - Collectible Decorations and Gifts- Visit any of the links below to see quality collectible Christmas gifts and decorations that have been popular with our readers. Many are designed by Thomas Kinkade and other world-class artists and designers.